Miniature theater



A ril 14,1931. w. MGHUGH v ,80 8

MiNI XTURE THEATER Filed April 8, 1929' 2 Sheet-5het 1 MAMA/roe Wm LIA M P. M HUGH #QTTOENEX Patented Apr. 14, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM P. MCI-IU'GH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI MINIATURE THEATER Application filed April 8, 1929.

pearance of a stage and in which one or more curtains, similar to those employed in theate-rs, are automatically operated thereby carrying out a full stage eliect.

A still further object is to construct a de vice which will represent a stage in miniature and whichis provided with a curtain to roll up the same as a dropcurtain on a large stage, and with curtains which will move aside representingthe draw curtain of a stage and which is provided; to the rear of these curtains with a translucent screen on which scenery may be painted or which can be used with a television device on which pictures can be thrown and appearto the audience. V

A still further object is to constructa miniature theater, which is provided with doors which, upon being opened, will automatically operate one or a series of curtains and at the same time illuminate predetermined portions of the device.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one formof mydeviceshowing the same when the doors are opened and the can tain raised;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of: the same taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 3 showing the mannerin which the various curtains are operated; a

Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssection taken on the line 8--3 of Fig. 2;. and

Fig. 1 is an'enlarged fragmental section showing the manner of operating the draw curtain. y

In the construction of my device I employ a casing 5 which may be of any desired shape. This casing is provided with a proscenium arch 6, adjacent whichareprojecting representations of boxes 7. 8 represents an orchestra pit in which I may, if deslotted asindicated by the numeral32 Serial No. 353,431.

sired, place figures representing musicians of various musical instruments. These, however, are not shown since they form no particular partlof my invention. To the rear of the proscenium arch 6 and within the casing or housing 5 is placed a roller 9 to which a drop curtain 10is attached. 1 The roller 9 is carried in bearings 11 and has secured thereto a gear 12. The gear 12 meshes with a gear 13 mounted on a shaft 14, I which is carried in a suitable bearing and which shaft is provided with a drum .15 around which a cable 16 is secured. This cable may be either a cord or it may be formed ofwire. To one endof the cable 16 =1 is secureda; weight 17 theflpurpose of which will be. explained inv detaillater. The cable lfipasses around a sheave wheel 18, thence through an opening 19 formed approximate ly in the center of theiront of the orchestra I pit, and the opposite end of the cable 16 is attached, at the point indicated by the numeral 20, to the closure or door 2110f the casing 5. Theclosure or door 22 of this casing, as well as the door 21, is preferably covered with a fabric 23 on which are painted representationsof boxes 2% so that when the doors are opened a full illusion of a theaterwill beobtained. g

Carried by thetop 25 of the casing 5is a slotted bracket 26 through whicha pin 27 extends. The top 25 also carries brackets 28 and 29 to which tracks 30 and 31 are pivotally secured. The ends of these tracks are into which the pin 27 extends.

The pin 27 projectsforwardly throughthe slot 33 formed in the bracket 26 andis de signed to be contacted with by abracket 3 1 carried by the lower end of the drop curtain 10. The drop'curtain is also provided at its lower end with a stiffening 111161111361 35, which maybe either of wood or metalso as to hold the] curtain 10 straight- The track 31 is provided with an eXten sion'36 which projects beyond the bracket 29 and which is designed to be contacted with by the end of a screw 37. Carried by the tracks 30 and 31 are rollers 38 to which brackets 39 are secured. Thesebrackets in i turn are secured to the upper end of draw curtains 40. It will be noted from Fig. 2

that the normal position of the tracks 80.

and 31 is such that they incline downwardly toward the center so that the rollers 38 will have a tendency to roll down and keep these draw curtain in closed position. The outerends of the draw curtains 40 are permanently secured to the tracks by means of brackets 41 so that the entire curtain will.

not slide or draw toward the center of the stage. i 1

To the rear of the draw curtains 4:0 is mounted a translucent screen 42.; This screen may have designs of any desired type painted thereon or it may be left blank so that'when a television device, such as is illustrated at 43, is employed the resulting figures therefrom will appear on the screen. 44 represents an amplifier which is mounted to the rear of the translucent screen 42 and from which the sound emanates.

In the orchestra pit are placed lights 45, which may be illuminated upon the opening of the door and to the rear of the translucent screen 42 I may place lights 46, which may also be illuminated so that in the event of scenery being painted on the translucent screen, it will become visible. V Theoperation of my deviceis as'follows: Assuming-the doors tobe closed, the first step ,willbe to open thedoors'21 22. 'As the door 21 is openedQit will exert a pull on the cable 16 unwinding aportion thereof from the drum 15 and raising the weight 17 simultaneously with the raising of the drop curtain 10. As the dropcurtain 10 appr0aches its uppermost limit of raising, the bracket 34 will conta'ctwith the pin 27 3 elevating the inner ends of thetracks '30 and 31 so that instead'of sloping downward toward the center, they will slope downward toward the ends. This permits the rollers 38 to roll toward the brackets 28 and 29' moving the draw curtains sidewise and disclosing the translucent screen,

thus givingthe impression ofthe stage cur tains being operated, then the amplifier can be brought into action, completing the illusion, which will be still more forcibly 1m pressed on the audience or listeners if the device has a television accessory. If the television device or accessory,:however, is

Upon closing of the doors, and especially the door 21, the weight 17 will descend causing the drop curtain 10 to unroll and descend, and if this drop curtain has operated the draw curtains 40, these curtains will close automatically as soon as the pin 27 reaches its lowest position in the slot 33 of the bracket 26;

I do not desire to limit myself tothe peculiar shape' of casing disclosed because, as aforementioned, this casing may be made'of various shapes; it may be built in a radio or phonograph cabinet, or may be so constructed as to be set in cabinets which have alread been constructed. I may also, if desire eliminate the lighting'features of my device without departing from the spirit of my invention. 4

Having'fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A miniature theater comprising acasing having'an opening therein, a closure for said'opening, a roller'mounted in said casing to the rear of said opening,a drop curtainhaving a weighted lower edge carried by said roller, means for windingsaid curtain on said roller as said closureis opened, means for'unwinding said curtain as said closure is closed, a draw curtain located in said casing to the 7 rear of said drop curtain, and means carried by the lower edge of said drop curtain for automatically opening and closing said draw curtain'by gravity as the drop curtain is raised and lowered;

2. A Ininiaturetheater comprising a casing having an opening therein, a cloSure'for said opening, a roller mounted in said casing to the rear of saidopening, a dropcurtain having aweighted lower edge carried by said roller, means for winding said curtain on said roller as said closure is opened, means for unwinding said curtain as said closure is closed, a draw curtain located-in said casing to the'rear of said drop curtain, gravity J means for automatically opening andclosing said draw curtain as the drop curtain is raised and loweredgmeans carriedby the loweredge ofsaid drop curtainfor operating said gravity means, and separate means for retaining said draw curtain in opened position.-

3; A miniature theatercomprising a casin having an openingtherein, a closure for sai opening, a roller mounted in said casing to therear of said opening, adrop curtainhaving a rigid lower edge carried by said roller, means for winding said curtain on said roller as said closure is 'opened,-means.for unwinding said curtain as'said closure is closed, a draw-curtain located in said casing to the rear of said drop-curtain, means carried-by the lower edge of said drop curtain for causdraw curtain by gravity as the drop curtain is raised and lowered, a translucent screen 10- cated to the rear of said curtain, and means for illuminating said screen.

4. A miniature theater comprising a casing having an opening therein, a closure for said opening, a roller mounted in said casing, a roller curtain extending across said opening and carried by said roller, means for winding said curtain on said roller as said closure is opened and for unwinding the same as said closure is closed, a draw curtain across said opening, and movable supporting means for said draw curtain and actuated by said first-mentioned curtain to cause gravitycontrolled opening and closing movement of the latter as said first-mentioned curtain is raised and lowered.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

WILLIAM P. MGHUGH. 

